Portfolio for Philip Harris - Commissionaportrait

Philip Harris is probably best known for his painting ‘Two Figures Lying in a Stream’, winner of the 1993 BP Portrait Award. He has received significant critical acclaim for his figurative work, whilst being compared to artists from Degas to Lucian Freud, Harris’s work is rendered with a hyper-real exactness reminiscent of Millais immaculate ‘Ophelia’. The National Portrait Gallery and the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art have bought his work and he continues to exhibited extensively across London.

“As a figurative artist with an international reputation who has received significant critical acclaim, I come to portraiture with an understanding of its traditions and potential. When accepting a portrait commission I aim to exceed the sitter’s expectations, achieving the highest standards of professional art practice. The portrait should have an immediate impact whilst feeling harmonious in its setting. The work must also possess the subtleties and quality necessary to reward the viewer’s sustained attention and increasing familiarity over time.”

Statement

“My technique is predominantly traditional, but I use photography as the source for my portraiture, this significantly reduces the time and inconvenience to the sitter. I take the photographs over one or two sessions of around two hours duration. These usually take place in the informal atmosphere of the sitter’s home or garden. The first meeting is often a good opportunity to discuss the client’s expectations and for me to see the intended site for the finished work. This enables me to choose the dimensions, colour and tone of the picture and frame most appropriate to the setting. The time scale for completed work will vary according to size and materials, and will be discussed individually with each client. Prices include framing.”

The
Prices quoted are for the standard mediums of oil on canvas and bronze
(in
the case of sculpture).For other media, prices may vary, please enquire
directly with us for more specific quotes.Back to top

“Harris is a genuine, unexpected, formidable talent, grounded in the most ardently traditional technique but with something to say which is totally au courant.”
— Marina Vaizey, Galleries and Museums, 1997

“As a piece of brilliant sharp focus observation it gives the lie to any assertion that traditional skills have now been completely forgotten.”
— Edward Lucie-Smith, Art Today, 1995